Glossary and Standards
Barbeque is a tourist attraction in Kansas City so I’m offering this page as both an explanation of my standards and a bit of a glossary of barbeque terms for the uninitiated. Hope it helps.
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My qualifications to pontificate on this subject: In 1987, I published a barbeque recipe book in partnership with the Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS). I was personal 
friends of the founders of KCBS. My parents hail from the Lockhart, Texas area – perhaps barbeque’s American ground zero - and I've spent a great deal of time there. I have built two smokers by my own hand, the second one being a large smoker of native stone. I have cooked barbeque for as many 300 and as few as 2. As you can see by my reviews I have eaten more than my share of ‘Q at restaurants all over the country, especially Texas and Kansas City. The following are my standards for what I’m looking for when I eat barbeque, either at a restaurant or informally. And this is what I aim for when I smoke.
friends of the founders of KCBS. My parents hail from the Lockhart, Texas area – perhaps barbeque’s American ground zero - and I've spent a great deal of time there. I have built two smokers by my own hand, the second one being a large smoker of native stone. I have cooked barbeque for as many 300 and as few as 2. As you can see by my reviews I have eaten more than my share of ‘Q at restaurants all over the country, especially Texas and Kansas City. The following are my standards for what I’m looking for when I eat barbeque, either at a restaurant or informally. And this is what I aim for when I smoke. .
Note, the KCBS scoring system weights the value of scores in three categories: Appearance: 14%, Taste: 57%, Tenderness: 29%. Seems a little tedious. I don't think tenderness is only half as important as taste. If so, Greedyman’s BBQ would be the best joint in town, not the worst.
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My standards of assessing barbeque places are as follows:
40% for Taste
40% for Tenderness / Texture
20% for Appearance
40% for Tenderness / Texture
20% for Appearance
NOTE! KCBS judges are trained to score meat on a 1-9 scale (no such thing as a Perfect 10, no such thing as nothing - zero). Furthermore, anything below a 6 score is a devastating score. A 9 is as close to perfection as can be imagined. An 8 means the cook did a great job, but left something to be desired. A 7 means the subject fell well short of expectations. A 6 means the meat was very poorly prepared. Up until today, Feb 11 2013, I've scored my rating on this scale. Readers often respond that 7s and 8s means the 'Q must be pretty good. Since my blog is not a KCBS contest scoring sheet, I'm going to change up my scoring structure as follows:
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BRISKET
Brisket is the Holy Grail of barbeque because it is, more or less, the origin of barbeque – a big hunk of low-value / low-cost meat that took hours (12 to 24) to make tender and tasty. Brisket and ribs are the ultimate test of a cook’s skill.
Brisket is the Holy Grail of barbeque because it is, more or less, the origin of barbeque – a big hunk of low-value / low-cost meat that took hours (12 to 24) to make tender and tasty. Brisket and ribs are the ultimate test of a cook’s skill.
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Taste: Think about it, if it takes 12 to 24 hours to cook a brisket, don’t you expect it to explode with smoke aroma and taste? That’s essentia
l. If your tongue isn’t giving you hints about what wood* was used, you probably don’t have a good piece of brisket. Note, if your brisket tastes extra beefy, it may have been re-warmed in bullion / stock. That’s a negative for me.
l. If your tongue isn’t giving you hints about what wood* was used, you probably don’t have a good piece of brisket. Note, if your brisket tastes extra beefy, it may have been re-warmed in bullion / stock. That’s a negative for me..
Tenderness / Texture: The ribbon test – You should be able to hold a slice of brisket (approx 6") by both ends without it crumbling. It should open up between the muscle strands slightly under its own weight. When you pull it apart it should droop and then break easily. Note: I’ve had a lot of brisket recently that had fallen apart in the warming tray while waiting to be served – it was NOT chopped. This is just poor presentation. Brisket should only be served sliced (or chopped only on demand for people who have lost their teef.) If you are served chopped brisket, your cook has failed and should close up shop.
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Appearance: 12 to 24 hours in the smoke… there should be a pronounced burgundy smoke ring on ONE side of the brisket. The brisket itself (inside the smoke ring) should be no darker than a walnut shell. If it is darker than that, it has been reheated (more than just re-warmed). Brisket has a lean end (the flat) and a fat end (the point). The cook will leave the fat on during cooking to “marinate” the meat, and then trim it off before serving – so the smoke ring will only show on one side. I like to see a ring at least 1/4” deep into the meat. Lest than 1/8” is poor. The brisket should have a bark on it, a thin smoky black "skin" – again, representing the time in the smoke. Bark is the where most of the smoky taste comes from, but also proof of an authentic process. Some joints waft a little smoke over a brisket and the finish it in an oven – this will not create a bark. Bark should never be lighter than a pecan shell, the best will be black. (Bark can be affected by the amount of sugar in the rub, the type of wood used, and the amount of moisture in the smoke chamber.)
BURNT ENDS
Brisket has two “ends” – the point and the flat. The flat end is lean and has a very regular muscle grain. This is where most of the sliced brisket you'll eat comes from. The point end is irregular and usually very fat (“wet” as they say in Texas). If purchased separately, points are almost universally cheaper than flats.) I’ve had some points that were as lean as flats and some that were so fatty they almost couldn’t be eaten. Fat tends to cook out the longer a piece is cooked. Most barbeque joints use the flat end for slicing and cut the point end into large cubes – burnt ends. (“Burnt” because the fat tends to draw more heat.)
ate the flat and the point after basic cooking and toss the point back in for more smoke. Yum!) Many joints will also add pork butt in the burnt ends pot, sometimes sausage, too. Ask your waiter what the place is offering.
Brisket has two “ends” – the point and the flat. The flat end is lean and has a very regular muscle grain. This is where most of the sliced brisket you'll eat comes from. The point end is irregular and usually very fat (“wet” as they say in Texas). If purchased separately, points are almost universally cheaper than flats.) I’ve had some points that were as lean as flats and some that were so fatty they almost couldn’t be eaten. Fat tends to cook out the longer a piece is cooked. Most barbeque joints use the flat end for slicing and cut the point end into large cubes – burnt ends. (“Burnt” because the fat tends to draw more heat.)
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Some joints will separate the flat and the point after basic cooking and toss the point back in for more smoke. Yum!) Many joints will also add pork butt in the burnt ends pot, sometimes sausage, too. Ask your waiter what the place is offering.
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Taste: When done right, burnt ends are as prized (and praised!) as caviar. You are in for a beefy, smoky sensation. (Remember, the point end has more fat and that means more flavor.) Some joints will use flats for burnt ends, but I don’t recommend it. Burnt ends should not remind you of the brisket the person across the table from you is eating. If the burnt ends are not distinctly more robust and smoky than the same restaurant’s bris
ket, that’s a category failure.
ket, that’s a category failure.
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Texture / Tenderness: Low and slow makes tender meat. Burnt ends should all but melt in your mouth. If you get a plateful that are tough, they’ve been mishandled.
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Appearance: Like taste, burnt ends should be the most attractive item on the table. Tan meat surrounded by a broad, rich cordovan smoke ring all wrapped in a rich molasses bark… it will make a grown man weep for the ex’Q’uiste beauty of it all.
back to list of meats
Unless specified otherwise, you’ll be ordering pork spare ribs. (Beef are a unique attraction – either back ribs or s
pare ribs – but they’re so rare, I’m not covering beef.) It’s worth asking your server if the joint’s ribs are spare ribs or St. Louis trimmed. (Here’s a good 2 min video explaining how spares become St Louis ribs.). You are likely to find either. St. Louis ribs are short and lean. Done right, they are the height of the barbeque experience. Spare ribs will tend to be a tad fatter, but have up to twice as much meat on them (because they’re untrimmed, hence longer). I enjoy the experience of picking at the meat. Note how the trim type will impact the value of what you’re buying. Roscoe’s perfect ribs are St. Louis style. On Tuesday night, a slab will cost you a measly $13. Down the road a couple miles, PapaBob’sribs are spare and a slab sets you back $19 – for as much as double the meat.
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RIBS (Pork)Unless specified otherwise, you’ll be ordering pork spare ribs. (Beef are a unique attraction – either back ribs or s
pare ribs – but they’re so rare, I’m not covering beef.) It’s worth asking your server if the joint’s ribs are spare ribs or St. Louis trimmed. (Here’s a good 2 min video explaining how spares become St Louis ribs.). You are likely to find either. St. Louis ribs are short and lean. Done right, they are the height of the barbeque experience. Spare ribs will tend to be a tad fatter, but have up to twice as much meat on them (because they’re untrimmed, hence longer). I enjoy the experience of picking at the meat. Note how the trim type will impact the value of what you’re buying. Roscoe’s perfect ribs are St. Louis style. On Tuesday night, a slab will cost you a measly $13. Down the road a couple miles, PapaBob’sribs are spare and a slab sets you back $19 – for as much as double the meat.
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Baby Back Ribs (not really from baby pigs) are not unheard of, but not terribly common in the barbeque restaurant world. Generally speaking, the following considerations would still apply to a good slab of petite porksicles.
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Taste: Ribs will present the richest pork taste you’ll get – to me, kind of a cross between a great pork chop and cured ham. I think Brobeck’s brines his ribs which accentuates the flavor, firms up the meat, and yields a perfect pink throughout. Because of the rib's large surface area (compared to the volume of meat), you should expect a rich smoky mouthful in every bite.
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Texture / Tenderness: Ribs should be cooked so that the meat comes off the bone only where the rib has been bitten. The bone should dry right after the bite. If the meat is “falling off the bone”, by definition, it is over-cooked – but it can still be delish.
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Appearance: Bark, smoke ring, pinkish interior. If you see brown bark, brown smoke ring, and brown meat, you’re wasting your money.PULLED PORK
With a less intense pork flavor than ribs, the butt still features the cook’s art. More massive than briskets, but more moist throughout, the butt is a somewhat forgiving hunk of meat. I love cooking it.
With a less intense pork flavor than ribs, the butt still features the cook’s art. More massive than briskets, but more moist throughout, the butt is a somewhat forgiving hunk of meat. I love cooking it.
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Taste: As stated, a little less porky, but still piggy. Due to the time required to finish the butt, there should be a pronounced essence of smoke. This meat category is uniquely moist – expect it.
gh, nor melt-in-your-mouth.
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Texture / Tenderness: The category is “pulled” pork, not chopped. If you are served chopped pork, it’s a category fail. Pulled pork is a thing of beauty. The complex muscle strands and differential cooking rates will create variety in the size of the pieces pulled. You may expect some strands the size of pencil lead mixed among thumb-sized morsels - that’s part of the joy of proper pulled pork. Expect a tender, slightly resisting chew. It should be neither tough, nor melt-in-your-mouth.
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Appearance: Pulled (NOT chopped) pork is a beautiful sight. Remember, pork is “the other white meat”. Properly cooked, your meat should be almost as light as a pork loin chop with strong pink elements (aside from the smoke ring). If it is any darker than a walnut shell, it is grossly over-cooked. Mentioned in taste, the pulled pork should appear to be very moist. Expect the same rich burgundy smoke ring and a dark, dark bark. In my mind, the bark should be thicker, or more pronounced, on pulled pork than any other category.SAUSAGE
Unless it has been cooked too long and it’s dried out, smoked sausage does not feature the barbequer’s art – it’s the sausage maker’s celebration. Sausage casing will prevent much smoke from penetrating into the link and it will also resist bark (since rubs are almost never used on sausage links – the spice is already ins
ide). With only the rarest exception, restaurants do not make their own sausage. When I find a sausage I like, I ask who provided it. If I feel like ordering sausage, I’ll ask the waiter to find out who makes the sausage and decide if I like the brand. In the Kansas City area, Krizman’s House of Sausage provides the best barbeque roll in the area. You’ll not be sorry if you order it. (Some folk have taken to barbequeing Italian sausage. This is a disastrous confluence of cuisines and I heartily advise against it.)
Unless it has been cooked too long and it’s dried out, smoked sausage does not feature the barbequer’s art – it’s the sausage maker’s celebration. Sausage casing will prevent much smoke from penetrating into the link and it will also resist bark (since rubs are almost never used on sausage links – the spice is already ins
ide). With only the rarest exception, restaurants do not make their own sausage. When I find a sausage I like, I ask who provided it. If I feel like ordering sausage, I’ll ask the waiter to find out who makes the sausage and decide if I like the brand. In the Kansas City area, Krizman’s House of Sausage provides the best barbeque roll in the area. You’ll not be sorry if you order it. (Some folk have taken to barbequeing Italian sausage. This is a disastrous confluence of cuisines and I heartily advise against it.)
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Taste: Good barbeque sausage should be meaty tasting, neither spicy nor herby unless that’s what you’re expecting. As stated, you’re not looking for a lot of smoke, but a hint. I find that barbeque sauce plays well on good sausage.
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Texture / Tenderness: This is the only category where “coarse” is a good thing. Sausage should have clearly visible chunks of meat in the grind and require a brief chew. Spongy, store-bought sausage like Ekrich is a terrible thing to get in your mouth. The casing can become chewy – it’s a good test of the producer’s and smoker’s team effort.
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Appearance: Krizman’s barbeque roll slices open to a wonderful, slightly browned deep pink. Remember, this is a seasoned and cured meat – it should not be brown under any circumstances.TURKEY (Chicken)
One does not barbeque chicken – the meat is too delicate to endure hours in a smoker at typically low temps. Chicken may be originally smoked and finished on a grill. I just don’t think chicken belongs in the low and slo
w smoked category. Smoked turkey on the other hand, is a delight. You’ll rarely find fresh smoked whole turkey breast – I suggest you try it if you find it. Most common is a processed turkey loaf. It can go either way.
One does not barbeque chicken – the meat is too delicate to endure hours in a smoker at typically low temps. Chicken may be originally smoked and finished on a grill. I just don’t think chicken belongs in the low and slo
w smoked category. Smoked turkey on the other hand, is a delight. You’ll rarely find fresh smoked whole turkey breast – I suggest you try it if you find it. Most common is a processed turkey loaf. It can go either way.
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Taste: It’s turkey! It should maintain its poultry flavor and present a delicate smoky note. Turkey does not like to be over-smoked. The smoke tars overplay the subtle turkey.
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Texture / Tenderness: It’s turkey! It should be light, smooth, and easily chewed.
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Appearance: I’ve found that prepared turkey loaves (like you find in the deli) don’t embrace much of a smoke ring – there’s different chemistry going on than with beef and pork. There should be a chocolate-colored tan on the bird.HAM
I’ve smoked a lot of hams in my day. You have to realize that ham is already fully cooked so it must be handled carefully. On the whole, I avoid orde
ring ham at a barbeque joint. If the rest of the meat was any good, you’d be ordering that. (Most restaurants place cured hams in the same smoker as their raw meats - at a heat of about 220 degrees. Thus the ham is going to lose a lot of moisture from its already cooked mass just to catch some smoke. When I cook hams at home, I keep the smoker just hot enough to create smoke, but low enough not to drain out too much moisture.)
I’ve smoked a lot of hams in my day. You have to realize that ham is already fully cooked so it must be handled carefully. On the whole, I avoid orde
ring ham at a barbeque joint. If the rest of the meat was any good, you’d be ordering that. (Most restaurants place cured hams in the same smoker as their raw meats - at a heat of about 220 degrees. Thus the ham is going to lose a lot of moisture from its already cooked mass just to catch some smoke. When I cook hams at home, I keep the smoker just hot enough to create smoke, but low enough not to drain out too much moisture.)
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Taste: Ham, add smoke.
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Texture / Tenderness: Ham.
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Appearance: Because the ham will not be cooked low and slow in smoke, there will not be a smoke ring. Hopefully, the cook will have applied a rich, sugary rub which will capture a hearty bark.SAUCE
Just as a great sauce will not save a barbeque joint, bad sauce will not sink it. I’ve opined elsewhere that Texas-style sauce is sweet, while Kansas City-style is spicy. I’ve been chastised for that assessment. What I mean is that Texicans typically use a good deal of molasses or brown sugar (brown sugar is white sugar coated in molasses, yup, that is all) in their sauce. Kansas Citians typically build their base with tomato paste and/or ketchup and bring in "spices" like paprika. Typically, neither Tex
or KC sauces are “spicy” in the sense of hot. Bizarrely, Kansas City’s most famous sauce – KC Masterpiece – is an overly sweet, molasses based sauce that I was more familiar with in Texas.
Just as a great sauce will not save a barbeque joint, bad sauce will not sink it. I’ve opined elsewhere that Texas-style sauce is sweet, while Kansas City-style is spicy. I’ve been chastised for that assessment. What I mean is that Texicans typically use a good deal of molasses or brown sugar (brown sugar is white sugar coated in molasses, yup, that is all) in their sauce. Kansas Citians typically build their base with tomato paste and/or ketchup and bring in "spices" like paprika. Typically, neither Tex
or KC sauces are “spicy” in the sense of hot. Bizarrely, Kansas City’s most famous sauce – KC Masterpiece – is an overly sweet, molasses based sauce that I was more familiar with in Texas.
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Taste: I grant a lot of latitude on this. When I make my sauce, I build it with tomato paste, adding Worcestershire sauce, mustard, honey, liquid smoke, and other aromatics herbs and veggies. Overly-sweet sauces cover the taste of the meat – as sugar will do. Tomato-based sauces have a slightly acidic finish which open up the taste buds. Did you know that?
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Texture / Tenderness: Great sauce should notbe smooth and homogenous like ketchup. Sauce made from tomato paste will have an almost grainy visual texture (though not grainy to the tongue). If the house sauce has the same consistency as ketchup, this is poor sauce. (If it has the same color as ketchup, you prolly grabbed the wrong bottle.) When poured or squirted on a plate, there should be some resistance to running.
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Appearance: This is the key. Lame sauce will be shiny and thin. Great sauce should be translucent, almost opaque. Before dousing your meat, squirt some sauce on a white surface - plate, napkin, tray liner. Spread it down to a film layer. What do you see? There MUST be visible flecks of both pepper and herbs suspended in the sauce. If you don’t see that, then the sauce is merely a concoction of flavored liquids. A great, home-made-style sauce may have bits of tomato or sweet bell peppers in it. This is a rare treasure.
RIB RUB
Besides the amount of smoke, rib rub (or just 'rub' if you please) may be the thing that makes the greatest difference in the outcome of great barbeque. Rub has sweet, salty, savory, and aromatic qualities. The only thing I object to is too much salt – the cheap way to enhance flavor. If you're loving your barbeque, ask the boss what kind of rub he/she uses. They'll be glad you asked (they may even tell you the truth!). Check in here for my great rub.
Besides the amount of smoke, rib rub (or just 'rub' if you please) may be the thing that makes the greatest difference in the outcome of great barbeque. Rub has sweet, salty, savory, and aromatic qualities. The only thing I object to is too much salt – the cheap way to enhance flavor. If you're loving your barbeque, ask the boss what kind of rub he/she uses. They'll be glad you asked (they may even tell you the truth!). Check in here for my great rub.
WOOD
Unless you have really trained your tongue, you probably won’t actually taste the type of wood used. (But your tongue would thank you if you invested in that education!) A wood’s color is a good indicator of the kind of flavor you’re going to get from it. Oak is a light colored wood. The resulting taste will feature a low profile or tars and mossy notes. Hickory is a darker wood creating a richer bark (more tars) and a “broader” earthy flavor profile. Rarely used in the Midwest, mesquite is my preference for ribs and poultry. Mesquite’s deep red flesh creates a dark, dark tarry bark with almost a pronounced spiciness of its own.
Unless you have really trained your tongue, you probably won’t actually taste the type of wood used. (But your tongue would thank you if you invested in that education!) A wood’s color is a good indicator of the kind of flavor you’re going to get from it. Oak is a light colored wood. The resulting taste will feature a low profile or tars and mossy notes. Hickory is a darker wood creating a richer bark (more tars) and a “broader” earthy flavor profile. Rarely used in the Midwest, mesquite is my preference for ribs and poultry. Mesquite’s deep red flesh creates a dark, dark tarry bark with almost a pronounced spiciness of its own.
